Speaking outside the Summit Commons Rehabilitation and Health Care Center polling site Wednesday afternoon, LaFortune said she’s focused on connecting the people in her ward.

“Everyone really wants to come together, to get to know each other and to figure out how we can help one another,” she said. “We want to know how we can be stronger advocates and collectively be a strong voice not only for the ward, but also for the city."

LaFortune, 34, is a programming coordinator for Brown University. She moved to Providence from Haiti when she was 3 years old and now lives in the Mount Hope neighborhood with her children. During her campaign, she focused on immigrant rights, often drawing on her own experience, and her support of the Providence Community-Police Relations Act.

Ward 3 stretches from the University Heights apartment complex north to the Pawtucket border. LaFortune pointed out the economic and racial disparities in the district, saying: “This is one of the most diverse wards in the city. I think concerns vary from neighborhood to neighborhood and street to street.” She has never run for public office before.

At polling sites on Wednesday, LaFortune was a clear favorite. A woman at Summit Commons handed LaFortune a purple flower from her Whole Foods shopping bag because it matched the patterned dress the candidate was wearing. A man driving passed the Nathan Bishop Middle School beeped his horn and shouted, “Go Nirva!”

Lichen Grewer, 42, and her 8-year-old son Shep rode their bikes to the middle school polling site. Grewer said she works with LaFortune at Brown University and her values are “right on.”

Turnout for the special election was low — with just 1,341 of the ward’s more than 10,000 voters casting a ballot. At about 6 p.m., poll workers at the Providence Hebrew Day School site cheered when they reached 80 voters. “Oh man, we might reach 100,” said Aleena Johnson, an election clerk.

As of Aug. 8, when the latest campaign finance report was due, LaFortune had more than $5,000 left in her account. This is more than four times the amount her Republican opponent Lallier had left. Reynolds reported that he had no money in his account as of July 19.

LaFortune received donations from Sen. Harold Metts, D-Providence, Darlene Allen of Adoption Rhode Island, Stephen Hug from Family Service of Rhode Island, and former Providence mayor Joseph Paolino. Her financial advantage concerned some voters such as Andrew Nosal, who has lived in the district for 27 years. He voted for LaFortune on Wednesday but not in the July primary.

“She was not my first choice,” said Nosal. “I see she has beautiful materials and signs. You wonder — where is that money coming from? That’s not the kind of money you make by showing up at the pub and putting your hat out.”

Before official results were even released from the Board of Elections, Lallier conceded and congratulated LaFortune: “I want to thank our community for getting out to vote and entrusting us with your greatest right as Americans,” he wrote in a statement.

This special election comes after Kevin Jackson, a longtime city councilman, was recalled in May after being indicted on embezzlement charges. Jackson, who held a council seat for 22 years, was arrested and indicted on charges that he embezzled from a youth sports program he founded in the 1970s. He has pleaded not guilty.

LaFortune joins the council at a strange time. Several of her colleagues hope to become the next council president, after the resignation of Luis Aponte, who was indicted on charges related to his alleged misuse of campaign funds. He remains on the council, but relinquished his position as president. Sabina Matos, who represents Ward 15, has been the acting president.

LaFortune said her first step will be “figuring out how to collaborate and work with every single councilperson.”